Swk 325: Practice with Mezzo Systems

School of Social Work

SWK 325: PRACTICE WITH MEZZO SYSTEMS

SCHEDULE

According to State of Texas HB 2504, this course syllabus must be submitted for review prior to the course's scheduled start date. Therefore, the instructor has the right to modify this syllabus and course calendar at any time between submission for publication and the first day of class. Furthermore, the instructor has the right to modify the syllabus as any time during the course provided (1) such changes do not increase expectations or requirements beyond a reasonable equivalent and (2) students must be given ample notice of any changes

Instructor:

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Overview of Course

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This practice course teaches the application of social work skills to work with groups. Students will learn the dynamics of task and process groups and will learn how to apply a systematic approach to the development, implementation, termination, and evaluation of groups. Prerequisites are Social Work 250, 275, 322, 328, 329, and 370. Concurrent enrollment: SWK 331, 348, and 350. Restricted to social work majors.

COURSE OBJECTIVE(S):

Upon completion of this course, students will have attained the following competencies:

1. The ability to understand and apply the NASW Code of Ethics and ethical standards in working groups by completing a group work session critically assessing the standards.
2. The ability to understand and apply a generalist strengths perspective to social work with groups.
3. The ability to understand community needs and apply and evaluate group work skills.
4. The ability to apply a multi-system assessment process to working with various groups (relationship building, treatment, socialization, supervisory, task, organizational, etc.).
5. The ability to critically evaluate one’s own knowledge, skills, and values in using a multi-dimensional approach to working with groups.
6. The ability to develop, maintain, and evaluate multiple types of groups and to apply the planed change process to promote social justice when appropriate to ameliorate adverse environmental conditions.
7. The ability to demonstrate and apply an understanding of diversity (age, race, ethnicity, gender, income, sexual orientation, disabilities) and to apply it as it relates to the functioning of groups.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER COURSES:

This course focuses on group content that provides further knowledge of human behavior and social systems first presented in courses SWK 275 and SWK 322. The course further introduces students to professional values and ethics, particularly the NASW Code of Ethics that was first addressed in SWK 225, 250 and SWK 329.

PROGRAM GOALS:

1. Prepare students for competent and effective generalist social work practice with diverse client systems.

2. Provide students with a foundation of knowledge for professional development, graduate education and lifelong learning

3. Develop student capability to improve human service delivery systems and promote social justice

4. Socialize student to the profession of social work

CORE COMPETENCIES

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires a competency-based approach to identify and assess what students demonstrate in practice. In social work, this approach involves assessing students' ability to demonstrate the competencies identified in the educational policy. Students to achieve programmatic goals listed above through demonstration the following ten competencies for generalist- level practice.

Competency 2.1.1 Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly

Competency 2.1.2 Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice

Competency 2.1.3 Apply Critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments

Competency 2.1.4 Engage diversity and difference in practice

Competency 2.1.5 Advance human rights and social and economic justice

Competency 2.1.6 Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research

Competency 2.1.7 Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment

Competency 2.1.8 Engage in policy practice to advance well-being and deliver services

Competency 2.1.9 Respond to contexts that shape practice

Competency 2.1.10 (a)-(d) Engages, assesses, intervenes and evaluates individual, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Practice Behaviors

Each competency (outlined above) describes the knowledge, values, skills and cognitive and affective processes that compromise the competency at the generalist level of practice. While content and activities of each course in the BSW curriculum covertly or overtly addresses each of the ten competencies, integrated into each course is a set of behaviors (practice behaviors) representing observable components of one for more competencies. Content and assessment in this course reflects the following practice behaviors:

2.1.1.5 Demonstrates professional demeanor in appearance, behavior and communication

2.1.1.6 Uses supervision and consultation effectively

2.1.10[c].2 Implement prevention interventions to enhance client capacities

Course Structure

Texts and Associated Materials

Required Texts:Toseland, Ronald W. and Rivas, Robert F. (2009). An Introduction to Group WorkPractice6thed.). Needham Heights, MA. AllynandBacon.

Additional Readings Suggested: Other readings may be assigned throughout this course.

Overview of Course Assignments

POLICY ON DUE DATES:

All assignments are due AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS. No Late work will be accepted. If you are not in class the day an assignment is due, you will need to submit it electronically, before or at the beginning of the class time in which they are due. You will also need to bring a hard copy to class with you the next time you are in class.

There will be NO MAKE-UP exams offered. You will need to be in class on the day of examinations.

OVERVIEW OF ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignment #1: Students will write a Literature Review using a minimum of 3 Social Work journal articles related to working with groups on a social problem.

See course schedule for due dates.

Students will:

Identify the group’s social need/issue

Identify the group population (age, race, gender, etc.)

Identify type of group utilized

Identify intervention theory implemented.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.

Include a short assessment/opinion of the journal articles.

Attach the social work articles with information used in the paper.

The paper should be at least five pages long, APA style, typed and double-spaced.

Assignment #2 – Working in your assigned groups, prepare a class presentation on a selected group work method from assignment 1. The presentation will describe the ideology and application of the method of group work selected. You will lead the class in a simulated group activity that demonstrates the method of group work on which you have reported. Each presentation must include a handout and/or PowerPoint that outlines the basic ideology of this particular group. See the course schedule for due dates.

In Class processing – Students will discuss weekly personal understanding of learned skills occurring during group activities, and students are expected to keep a record of their responses and learned skills while leading as well as participating as members of these groups. These interactions are designed to create an atmosphere of group work which will enable students to personally experience group relationships and behaviors. Theory, knowledge, and skills gained through the class experience will better enable students to relate to future client’s challenges. Students will demonstrate acquisition of this knowledge and skills through their discussions, as well as demonstrate the ability to analyze, critique and synthesize that knowledge and skills during group interaction. Consider addressing issues of diversity such as age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or disability. This is NOT a time for summarizing readings, but an opportunity to demonstrate growth through the application of theory, knowledge and skills. Specific topics will be assigned throughout the semester. The final discussion will be a structured grading of you and your group members as to the overall involvement and contribution to the group experience.

EXAMINATIONS:

This class will have a Mid-Term and Final Exam whereby the student will demonstrate knowledge acquisition. There are NO MAKE-UP Exams. See course schedule for dates.

GRADING:

Assignment #1 – Literature Review100 points

Assignment #2 - Group Presentation100 points based on knowledge from text and readings from additional class assignments in preparing a group presentation

Mid Term Examination100 points

Final Examination100 points

TOTAL400 points

A = 370-400 points

B = 340-369 points

C = 310-339 points

D = 280-308 points

F = 279 and below

Student Rights and Responsibilities

"Civility in face-to-face classrooms, online courses and in labs, internships, practicum and all other academic settings necessitate respect for the opinions of others and is very important in all academic settings. It is likely you may not agree with everything that happens or discussed in the academic setting; however, courteous behavior and responses are expected. To create a civil and preserve learning environment that optimizes teaching and learning, all participants share a responsibility in creating a civil and non-disruptive forum" (Student Guide Book, p 35). To create an optimum learning environment, students have rights and responsibilities.

Student Rights

As set forth in Texas A&M University System Policy 13.02

The rights of students are to be respected. These rights include respect for personal feelings; freedom from indignity of any type, freedom from control by any person except as may be in accord with published rules of the system academic institutions, and conditions allowing them to make the best use of their time and talents toward the objectives, which brought them to the system academic institutions. No officer [university faculty, employee] or student, regardless of position in rank, shall violate those rights, any custom, tradition or rule.

Students are expected at all times to recognize constituted authority, to conform to the ordinary rules of good conduct, to be truthful, to respect the rights of others, to protect private and public property, and to make the best use of their time toward an education.

Students with Disabilities

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact:

Office of Student Disability Resources and Services

Texas A&M University-Commerce

Gee LIbaray - Room 132

Phone (903)886-5150 or (903) 886-5853

Fax 9903) 468-8148

Students Responsibilities

Class Attendance and Participation Policy

• 512 MB of RAM, 1 GB or more preferred
• Broadband connection required courses are heavily video intensive
• Video display capable of high-color 16-bit display 1024 x 768 or higher resolution

• Sound card, which is usually integrated into your desktop or laptop computer
• Speakers or headphones.
• *For courses utilizing video-conferencing tools and/or an online proctoring solution, a webcam and microphone are required.